With February being National Heart Month, some local businesses are taking part in the celebration.

McLaren Northern Michigan, and its Cheboygan Campus, have been working with local businesses to support the healthy heart effort.

“Throughout the month of February businesses in communities across America are banding together to raise awareness of heart health during National Heart Month,” said Shari Schult, director of operations at the Cheboygan campus. “McLaren Northern Michigan, wanting to raise awareness of heart health, thought this would be a fun way to educate our communities.”

The initiative asked local businesses to take part by setting up a window display for competition. Businesses that participate are in the running to win a complementary heart health screening for their employees.

Businesses were asked to decorate their windows in red — whether it be with apparel, products or plants and flowers. They also were asked to display a poster in their window, indicating their support of the initiative. Each business will have a small supply of heart-related materials that customers can pick up at check-out counter area.

McLaren’s website, northernhealth.org/vote, has a survey on its website for the community to vote on their favorite storefront or voters can go to participating stores and read the QR code off the poster with their smartphone.

“It has been great seeing the businesses in Cheboygan participate in this event” Schult said.

“The key is being able to recognize the symptoms of a heart attack and the quick activation of 911. Both of McLaren Northern Michigan’s emergency rooms and EMS have skilled professionals, equipment and medications to diagnose and treatment a heart attack,” Schult said. “Prompt treatment by trained professionals allows for better patient outcomes, less damage to the heart muscle and most important saves lives.”